US20110011884A1 - Pill Dispenser for Pets - Google Patents

Pill Dispenser for Pets Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20110011884A1
US20110011884A1 US12/836,311 US83631110A US2011011884A1 US 20110011884 A1 US20110011884 A1 US 20110011884A1 US 83631110 A US83631110 A US 83631110A US 2011011884 A1 US2011011884 A1 US 2011011884A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
pill
plunger shaft
dispenser
holding member
spring
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
US12/836,311
Other versions
US8062248B2 (en
Inventor
Charles Edward Kindel
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to US12/836,311 priority Critical patent/US8062248B2/en
Publication of US20110011884A1 publication Critical patent/US20110011884A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US8062248B2 publication Critical patent/US8062248B2/en
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Images

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D83/00Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
    • B65D83/04Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for dispensing annular, disc-shaped, or spherical or like small articles, e.g. tablets or pills
    • B65D83/0409Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for dispensing annular, disc-shaped, or spherical or like small articles, e.g. tablets or pills the dispensing means being adapted for delivering one article, or a single dose, upon each actuation

Definitions

  • This invention relates generally to pill dispensers and, more particularly, to a pill dispenser specifically useful for ejecting a medication in the form of a pill into the mouth of an animal, such as a pet.
  • a common, yet often undesirable, task of both veterinarians and pet owners is to administer medications to pets. It is particularly difficult to induce a pet, especially a small animal like a cat, to swallow a pill. A pet owner may seek to hide a pill in the animal's normal food; unfortunately, many pets are able to avoid the pill and still ingest most of the food.
  • a pill dispenser for efficiently dispensing a pill into the mouth of an animal. Further, it would be desirable to have a pill dispenser that selectively ejects a pill into an animal's mouth when actuated. In addition, it would be desirable to have a pill dispenser that induces a pet to receive the dispenser into its mouth.
  • a pill dispenser for dispensing a pill into the mouth of an animal includes a housing having front, rear, and side walls defining a hollow interior, the front and rear walls having openings.
  • a pill holding member is removably coupled to the housing front wall, the pill holding member defining a frontward bore configured to receive a pill and being in operative communication with the dispenser housing front opening.
  • An elongate plunger shaft having proximal and distal ends is positioned along an imaginary longitudinal axis extending through the dispenser housing and the pill holding member. The shaft is movable between a retracted configuration in which the distal end extends outwardly from the housing rear wall and an actuated configuration in which the distal end is adjacent the housing rear wall.
  • a spring is positioned in the dispenser housing and operatively connected to the plunger shaft for selectively moving the plunger shaft between the retracted and actuated configurations so as to eject a pill from the holding member.
  • a general object of this invention is to provide a pill dispenser for use in dispensing a medication in pill form into the mouth of an animal.
  • Another object of this invention is to provide a pill dispenser, as aforesaid, having a spring loaded shaft that ejects a pill from a pill holding area.
  • Still another object of this invention is to provide a pill dispenser, as aforesaid, in which the shaft may be cocked to a selected position for accommodating pills of different sizes and regulating an amount of force with which to eject a pill.
  • Yet another object of this invention is to provide a pill dispenser, as aforesaid, that may be operated with a single hand.
  • a further object of this invention is to provide a pill dispenser, as aforesaid, having a structure for retaining a food substance so as to induce an animal to receive the dispenser into its mouth.
  • a still further object of this invention is to provide a pill dispenser, as aforesaid, that is easy to use and cost-effective to manufacture.
  • FIG. 1 is a top view of a pill dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 a is a perspective view of the pill dispenser as in FIG. 1 shown at a retracted configuration
  • FIG. 2 b is a perspective view of the pill dispenser as in FIG. 1 shown at an actuated configuration
  • FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the pill dispenser as in FIG. 2 a ;
  • FIG. 4 a is a top view of the pill dispenser as in FIG. 2 a ;
  • FIG. 4 b is a sectional view taken along line 4 b - 4 b of FIG. 4 a at a retracted configuration
  • FIG. 4 c is a sectional view as in FIG. 4 b at an actuated configuration.
  • the pill dispenser 10 includes a dispenser housing 12 , a pill holding member 30 , and an actuation assembly 50 .
  • the dispenser housing 12 includes a front wall 14 and an opposing rear wall 16 .
  • the dispenser housing 12 includes a generally cylindrical configuration having a continuous side wall 18 extending between the front 14 and rear 16 walls although other configurations would also work.
  • the walls of the dispenser 10 define a generally hollow configuration ( FIG. 4 b ).
  • the front 14 and rear 16 walls each define a respective opening as will be described more fully below.
  • An interior wall 20 is situated within the dispenser housing 12 intermediate the front 14 and rear 16 walls and also defines an opening.
  • a bumper pad 24 may be positioned adjacent an inner surface of the housing front wall 14 to absorb impact forces when a plunger shaft is actuated as will be described more fully later.
  • the pill holding member 30 is removably coupled to the dispenser housing front wall 14 . More particularly, the front wall 14 of the dispenser housing 12 and rear edge of the pill holding member 30 may include complementary structures to engage in a removable snap-fit relationship, as indicated at reference numeral 32 of FIG. 4 b . Alternatively, the dispenser housing 12 and pill holding member 30 may be removably coupled using a threaded arrangement, friction-fit engagement, latches, or the like.
  • the pill holding member 30 is removable from the dispenser housing 12 so that it may be cleaned easily before or after use. Further, the pill holding member 30 defines a frontward bore 34 configured to receive a pill, the bore being configured to communicate with the front wall opening of the dispenser housing 12 . It is understood that the pill holding member 30 is removable and may be replaced with another pill holding member having a frontward bore 34 configured for a larger or smaller pill size.
  • the pill holding member 30 further includes food retaining member 36 that may be useful to induce an animal to receive the dispenser into its mouth. More particularly, the food retaining member 36 may include one or more ribbed or textured surfaces integrally constructed on an outer surface of the pill holding member 30 adjacent the frontward bore 34 ( FIG. 1 ).
  • the food retaining member 36 may be constructed of rubber, plastic, an absorbent pad, or the like. Alternatively, the food retaining member 36 may be removably attached so as to be removed for cleaning purposes.
  • the tip of the pill holding member 30 itself is constructed of a flexible and resilient material.
  • the dispenser housing 12 includes a front portion 22 preferably having a downwardly tapered configuration adjacent said pill holding member 30 .
  • the front portion 22 is tapered downwardly from the housing 12 to the pill holding member 30 . This preferred configuration may provide enhanced grip of the dispenser housing 12 to a user.
  • the pill dispenser 10 further includes an elongate plunger shaft 40 having proximal 42 and distal 44 ends relative to the pill holding member 30 and is positioned within the pill dispenser 10 along an imaginary longitudinal axis that extends through the dispenser housing 12 and pill holding member 30 .
  • the plunger shaft 40 is slidably movable therein between a retracted configuration ( FIG. 2 a ) in which its distal end 44 extends outwardly (rearwardly) from the rear wall 16 of the dispenser housing 12 and an actuated configuration ( FIG. 2 b ) in which its distal end 44 is substantially adjacent the dispenser housing rear wall 16 .
  • the plunger shaft 40 is movable through the front wall, interior, and rear wall openings of the dispenser housing 12 and through the frontward bore 34 of the pill holding member 30 as the plunger shaft 40 is moved between retracted and actuated configurations as best shown in FIGS. 4 b and 4 c .
  • the plunger shaft 40 may include a handle end 46 at the distal end 44 thereof that is generally perpendicular to the plunger shaft 40 so that a user may easily grasp the handle end 46 to pull the shaft 40 toward the retracted configuration ( FIG. 2 a ).
  • the actuation assembly 50 includes a compression spring 52 (also referred to as an ejection spring) that is positioned in the dispenser housing, preferably surrounding the plunger shaft 40 ( FIG. 4 b ).
  • a retention wall 54 also extends about the plunger shaft 40 forward of the interior wall 20 of the dispenser housing 12 and the spring 52 is preferably situated therebetween. In other words, the retention wall 54 is positioned intermediate a forward end of the spring and the shaft proximal end 42 . This configuration enables the plunger shaft 40 to be moved from the retracted configuration ( FIG. 4 b ) to the actuated configuration ( FIG. 4 c ) when the spring 52 is actuated to an unbiased or extended configuration.
  • the spring is compressed/biased by the retention wall 54 against the interior wall 20 as the plunger shaft 40 is moved toward the retracted configuration ( FIG. 4 b ) and then expands quickly when actuated to the actuated configuration ( FIG. 4 c ).
  • the spring 52 may be coupled at one end to the interior wall 20 and at an opposed end to the retention wall 54 although it may be suitable to merely be situated therebetween.
  • the shaft 40 will move forward rapidly and the retention 54 may contact the housing front wall 14 , although the bumper 24 situated at the front wall 14 is designed to absorb those impact forces so as not to unduly frighten the animal in whose mouth the dispenser housing 12 is inserted.
  • the actuation assembly 50 includes means for selectively holding the spring 52 and plunger shaft 40 at the retracted configuration ( FIG. 4 b ) until a user manually actuates the spring 52 to move the plunger shaft 40 to the actuated configuration ( FIG. 4 c ).
  • the plunger shaft 40 may define a series of notches 48 spaced apart along the longitudinal axis.
  • the actuation assembly 50 includes an actuator 56 mounted in the dispenser housing 12 having a base member 58 , a support member 60 extending upwardly from the base member 58 that defines an aperture 62 configured such that the plunger shaft 40 may extend therethrough.
  • a stop 64 such as a nub or lip, is integrally constructed or attached adjacent the actuator aperture 62 and includes a configuration complementary to that of the shaft notches 48 described above so as to be selectively received in a respective notch 48 .
  • an actuator spring 66 is positioned under the base member 58 in operative contact therewith.
  • An actuator button 68 extends upwardly from the support member 60 . In operation, when the button 68 is depressed, the support member 60 and base member 58 are urged downwardly to compress the actuator spring 66 , causing the stop 64 to be displaced from a respective notch 48 and allowing the shaft 40 to move to the actuated configuration ( FIG.
  • the dispenser housing 12 defines a hole 70 through which the button 68 may extend when the stop 64 is nested in a respective notch 48 in that the actuator spring 66 urges the entire actuator 56 upwardly ( FIG. 4 b ).
  • a user such as a pet owner may insert a pill 8 into the frontward bore 34 of the pill holding member 30 and then slide the plunger shaft 40 to a desired retracted position by pulling on the handle end 46 of the plunger shaft 40 ( FIG. 4 b ).
  • the actuator button 68 may be depressed while the shaft 40 is retracted to a desired position and then released to extend through the dispenser housing hole ( FIG. 2 a ), at which point the stop 64 engages a respective plunger shaft notch 48 .
  • a food substance such as honey or the like may be smeared onto the retaining member 36 of the pill holding member 30 so as to induce the pet to accept the holding member 3 into his mouth.
  • a user may depress the actuator button 68 to allow the spring 52 to cause the plunger shaft 40 to eject the pill 8 from the pill holding member 30 into the pet's mouth as described above.
  • the plunger shaft 40 may be operated without inclusion or operation of a spring 52 to actuate pill delivery.
  • the plunger may simply be retracted to a desired distance and then slid forward manually by a user once the pill holding member has been positioned within the mouth of the animal.
  • the shaft 40 may or may not include the actuation assembly 50 to hold the shaft 40 at a selected position until the button 68 is depressed to allow shaft movement.

Abstract

A pill dispenser includes a housing having front, rear, and side walls defining a hollow interior. A pill holding member is removably coupled to the housing front wall and defines a frontward bore configured to receive a pill and being in operative communication with the housing front opening. An elongate plunger shaft having proximal and distal ends is positioned extends through the housing. The shaft is movable between a retracted configuration in which the distal end extends from the housing rear wall and an actuated configuration in which the distal end is adjacent the housing rear wall. A spring is positioned in the dispenser housing and operatively connected to the plunger shaft for selectively moving the plunger shaft between the retracted and actuated configurations so as to eject a pill from the holding member. The shaft may be retracted to selected positions before being spring actuated to dispense a pill.

Description

    CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
  • This non-provisional patent application claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 61/270,791 filed on Jul. 14, 2009, titled Oral Pet Pill Dispenser.
  • BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  • This invention relates generally to pill dispensers and, more particularly, to a pill dispenser specifically useful for ejecting a medication in the form of a pill into the mouth of an animal, such as a pet.
  • A common, yet often undesirable, task of both veterinarians and pet owners is to administer medications to pets. It is particularly difficult to induce a pet, especially a small animal like a cat, to swallow a pill. A pet owner may seek to hide a pill in the animal's normal food; unfortunately, many pets are able to avoid the pill and still ingest most of the food.
  • Various devices have been proposed in the art for dispensing pills to pets. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices are not configured for single handed administration, do not provide for easy cleaning of the pill receiving chambers, or do not provide for spring-loaded pill ejection in combination with an edible “teaser” member.
  • Therefore, it would be desirable to have a pill dispenser for efficiently dispensing a pill into the mouth of an animal. Further, it would be desirable to have a pill dispenser that selectively ejects a pill into an animal's mouth when actuated. In addition, it would be desirable to have a pill dispenser that induces a pet to receive the dispenser into its mouth.
  • SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
  • A pill dispenser for dispensing a pill into the mouth of an animal includes a housing having front, rear, and side walls defining a hollow interior, the front and rear walls having openings. A pill holding member is removably coupled to the housing front wall, the pill holding member defining a frontward bore configured to receive a pill and being in operative communication with the dispenser housing front opening. An elongate plunger shaft having proximal and distal ends is positioned along an imaginary longitudinal axis extending through the dispenser housing and the pill holding member. The shaft is movable between a retracted configuration in which the distal end extends outwardly from the housing rear wall and an actuated configuration in which the distal end is adjacent the housing rear wall. A spring is positioned in the dispenser housing and operatively connected to the plunger shaft for selectively moving the plunger shaft between the retracted and actuated configurations so as to eject a pill from the holding member.
  • Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a pill dispenser for use in dispensing a medication in pill form into the mouth of an animal.
  • Another object of this invention is to provide a pill dispenser, as aforesaid, having a spring loaded shaft that ejects a pill from a pill holding area.
  • Still another object of this invention is to provide a pill dispenser, as aforesaid, in which the shaft may be cocked to a selected position for accommodating pills of different sizes and regulating an amount of force with which to eject a pill.
  • Yet another object of this invention is to provide a pill dispenser, as aforesaid, that may be operated with a single hand.
  • A further object of this invention is to provide a pill dispenser, as aforesaid, having a structure for retaining a food substance so as to induce an animal to receive the dispenser into its mouth.
  • A still further object of this invention is to provide a pill dispenser, as aforesaid, that is easy to use and cost-effective to manufacture.
  • Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.
  • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • FIG. 1 is a top view of a pill dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
  • FIG. 2 a is a perspective view of the pill dispenser as in FIG. 1 shown at a retracted configuration;
  • FIG. 2 b is a perspective view of the pill dispenser as in FIG. 1 shown at an actuated configuration;
  • FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the pill dispenser as in FIG. 2 a;
  • FIG. 4 a is a top view of the pill dispenser as in FIG. 2 a;
  • FIG. 4 b is a sectional view taken along line 4 b-4 b of FIG. 4 a at a retracted configuration; and
  • FIG. 4 c is a sectional view as in FIG. 4 b at an actuated configuration.
  • DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
  • A pill dispenser for dispensing a pill 8 into the mouth of an animal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 c of the accompanying drawings. The pill dispenser 10 includes a dispenser housing 12, a pill holding member 30, and an actuation assembly 50.
  • The dispenser housing 12 includes a front wall 14 and an opposing rear wall 16. Preferably, the dispenser housing 12 includes a generally cylindrical configuration having a continuous side wall 18 extending between the front 14 and rear 16 walls although other configurations would also work. The walls of the dispenser 10 define a generally hollow configuration (FIG. 4 b). The front 14 and rear 16 walls each define a respective opening as will be described more fully below. An interior wall 20 is situated within the dispenser housing 12 intermediate the front 14 and rear 16 walls and also defines an opening. A bumper pad 24 may be positioned adjacent an inner surface of the housing front wall 14 to absorb impact forces when a plunger shaft is actuated as will be described more fully later.
  • The pill holding member 30 is removably coupled to the dispenser housing front wall 14. More particularly, the front wall 14 of the dispenser housing 12 and rear edge of the pill holding member 30 may include complementary structures to engage in a removable snap-fit relationship, as indicated at reference numeral 32 of FIG. 4 b. Alternatively, the dispenser housing 12 and pill holding member 30 may be removably coupled using a threaded arrangement, friction-fit engagement, latches, or the like. The pill holding member 30 is removable from the dispenser housing 12 so that it may be cleaned easily before or after use. Further, the pill holding member 30 defines a frontward bore 34 configured to receive a pill, the bore being configured to communicate with the front wall opening of the dispenser housing 12. It is understood that the pill holding member 30 is removable and may be replaced with another pill holding member having a frontward bore 34 configured for a larger or smaller pill size.
  • The pill holding member 30 further includes food retaining member 36 that may be useful to induce an animal to receive the dispenser into its mouth. More particularly, the food retaining member 36 may include one or more ribbed or textured surfaces integrally constructed on an outer surface of the pill holding member 30 adjacent the frontward bore 34 (FIG. 1). The food retaining member 36 may be constructed of rubber, plastic, an absorbent pad, or the like. Alternatively, the food retaining member 36 may be removably attached so as to be removed for cleaning purposes. Preferably, the tip of the pill holding member 30 itself is constructed of a flexible and resilient material.
  • The dispenser housing 12 includes a front portion 22 preferably having a downwardly tapered configuration adjacent said pill holding member 30. Specifically, the front portion 22 is tapered downwardly from the housing 12 to the pill holding member 30. This preferred configuration may provide enhanced grip of the dispenser housing 12 to a user.
  • The pill dispenser 10 further includes an elongate plunger shaft 40 having proximal 42 and distal 44 ends relative to the pill holding member 30 and is positioned within the pill dispenser 10 along an imaginary longitudinal axis that extends through the dispenser housing 12 and pill holding member 30. The plunger shaft 40 is slidably movable therein between a retracted configuration (FIG. 2 a) in which its distal end 44 extends outwardly (rearwardly) from the rear wall 16 of the dispenser housing 12 and an actuated configuration (FIG. 2 b) in which its distal end 44 is substantially adjacent the dispenser housing rear wall 16. It is understood that the plunger shaft 40 is movable through the front wall, interior, and rear wall openings of the dispenser housing 12 and through the frontward bore 34 of the pill holding member 30 as the plunger shaft 40 is moved between retracted and actuated configurations as best shown in FIGS. 4 b and 4 c. The plunger shaft 40 may include a handle end 46 at the distal end 44 thereof that is generally perpendicular to the plunger shaft 40 so that a user may easily grasp the handle end 46 to pull the shaft 40 toward the retracted configuration (FIG. 2 a).
  • The actuation assembly 50 includes a compression spring 52 (also referred to as an ejection spring) that is positioned in the dispenser housing, preferably surrounding the plunger shaft 40 (FIG. 4 b). A retention wall 54 also extends about the plunger shaft 40 forward of the interior wall 20 of the dispenser housing 12 and the spring 52 is preferably situated therebetween. In other words, the retention wall 54 is positioned intermediate a forward end of the spring and the shaft proximal end 42. This configuration enables the plunger shaft 40 to be moved from the retracted configuration (FIG. 4 b) to the actuated configuration (FIG. 4 c) when the spring 52 is actuated to an unbiased or extended configuration. In other words, the spring is compressed/biased by the retention wall 54 against the interior wall 20 as the plunger shaft 40 is moved toward the retracted configuration (FIG. 4 b) and then expands quickly when actuated to the actuated configuration (FIG. 4 c). The spring 52 may be coupled at one end to the interior wall 20 and at an opposed end to the retention wall 54 although it may be suitable to merely be situated therebetween. When the spring 52 is actuated, the shaft 40 will move forward rapidly and the retention 54 may contact the housing front wall 14, although the bumper 24 situated at the front wall 14 is designed to absorb those impact forces so as not to unduly frighten the animal in whose mouth the dispenser housing 12 is inserted.
  • The actuation assembly 50 includes means for selectively holding the spring 52 and plunger shaft 40 at the retracted configuration (FIG. 4 b) until a user manually actuates the spring 52 to move the plunger shaft 40 to the actuated configuration (FIG. 4 c). First, the plunger shaft 40 may define a series of notches 48 spaced apart along the longitudinal axis. Further, the actuation assembly 50 includes an actuator 56 mounted in the dispenser housing 12 having a base member 58, a support member 60 extending upwardly from the base member 58 that defines an aperture 62 configured such that the plunger shaft 40 may extend therethrough. A stop 64, such as a nub or lip, is integrally constructed or attached adjacent the actuator aperture 62 and includes a configuration complementary to that of the shaft notches 48 described above so as to be selectively received in a respective notch 48. When received therein, the plunger shaft 40 is prevented from normal sliding movement and held in the retracted configuration. Still further, an actuator spring 66 is positioned under the base member 58 in operative contact therewith. An actuator button 68 extends upwardly from the support member 60. In operation, when the button 68 is depressed, the support member 60 and base member 58 are urged downwardly to compress the actuator spring 66, causing the stop 64 to be displaced from a respective notch 48 and allowing the shaft 40 to move to the actuated configuration (FIG. 4 c) by operation of spring 52. In addition, the dispenser housing 12 defines a hole 70 through which the button 68 may extend when the stop 64 is nested in a respective notch 48 in that the actuator spring 66 urges the entire actuator 56 upwardly (FIG. 4 b).
  • In use, a user such as a pet owner may insert a pill 8 into the frontward bore 34 of the pill holding member 30 and then slide the plunger shaft 40 to a desired retracted position by pulling on the handle end 46 of the plunger shaft 40 (FIG. 4 b). The actuator button 68 may be depressed while the shaft 40 is retracted to a desired position and then released to extend through the dispenser housing hole (FIG. 2 a), at which point the stop 64 engages a respective plunger shaft notch 48. If needed, a food substance such as honey or the like may be smeared onto the retaining member 36 of the pill holding member 30 so as to induce the pet to accept the holding member 3 into his mouth. Then, a user may depress the actuator button 68 to allow the spring 52 to cause the plunger shaft 40 to eject the pill 8 from the pill holding member 30 into the pet's mouth as described above.
  • This invention also contemplates that the plunger shaft 40 may be operated without inclusion or operation of a spring 52 to actuate pill delivery. In other words, the plunger may simply be retracted to a desired distance and then slid forward manually by a user once the pill holding member has been positioned within the mouth of the animal. In this embodiment, the shaft 40 may or may not include the actuation assembly 50 to hold the shaft 40 at a selected position until the button 68 is depressed to allow shaft movement.
  • It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.

Claims (19)

1. A pill dispenser for dispensing a pill into the mouth of an animal, comprising:
a dispenser housing having a front wall, a rear wall, and a continuous side wall extending between said front and rear walls, said front and rear walls defining front and rear openings, respectively, and said dispenser housing defining a generally hollow configuration;
a pill holding member removably coupled to said housing front wall, said pill holding member defining a frontward bore configured to receive a pill and being in operative communication with said dispenser housing front opening;
an elongate plunger shaft having proximal and distal ends relative to said pill holding member and positioned along an imaginary longitudinal axis extending through said dispenser housing and said pill holding member, said plunger shaft being movable between a retracted configuration in which said distal end extends outwardly from said dispenser housing rear wall and an actuated configuration in which said distal end is substantially adjacent said dispenser housing rear wall; and
a spring positioned in said dispenser housing and operatively connected to said plunger shaft for selectively moving said plunger shaft between said retracted and actuated configurations such that the pill is ejected from said holding member frontward bore.
2. The pill dispenser as in claim 1, wherein:
said spring is positioned to surround said plunger shaft and oriented inline therewith; and
a retention wall extends about said plunger shaft intermediate a forward end of said spring and said plunger shaft proximal end, wherein said retention wall compresses said spring at said retracted configuration.
3. The pill dispenser as in claim 2, further comprising a bumper pad mounted within said dispenser housing adjacent said front opening so as to absorb impact forces imparted by said retention wall when said plunger shaft moves from said retracted configuration to said actuated configuration.
4. The pill dispenser as in claim 2, wherein said plunger shaft defines a plurality of notches spaced apart along said imaginary longitudinal axis;
said pill dispenser further comprising:
an actuator mounted in said dispenser housing, comprising:
a base member;
a support member extending upwardly from said base member, said support member defining an aperture configured so that said plunger shaft extends therethrough;
a stop situated adjacent said aperture and configured to be received in a selected plunger shaft notch, whereby to prevent movement of said plunger shaft through said aperture;
an actuator spring positioned in operative contact beneath said base member;
a button mounted atop said support member and configured such that a manual force upon said button causes said base member to compress said actuator spring and move said stop out of a respective notch, thereby enabling said plunger shaft to move through said aperture.
5. The pill dispenser as in claim 4, wherein said side wall of said plunger housing defines a hole through which said actuator button extends when said plunger shaft is at a selected retracted configuration, said actuator button being biased to extend therethrough by said actuator spring.
6. The pill dispenser as in claim 4, wherein said distal end of said plunger shaft includes a handle end perpendicular to said plunger shaft that may be grasped by a user's hand.
7. The pill dispenser as in claim. 1, wherein said distal end of said plunger shaft includes a handle end perpendicular to said plunger shaft that may be grasped by a user's hand.
8. The pill dispenser as in claim 1, wherein said dispenser housing includes a front portion having a downwardly tapered configuration adjacent said pill holding member.
9. The pill dispenser as in claim 8, wherein said spring is positioned in said front portion of said dispenser housing.
10. The pill dispenser as in claim 9, wherein said pill holding member is coupled to said dispenser housing in a snap-fit relationship.
11. The pill dispenser as in claim 9, wherein said pill holding member is threadably coupled to said dispenser housing.
12. The pill dispenser as in claim 1, wherein said dispenser housing includes an interior wall intermediate said front and rear dispenser housing walls, said spring being coupled at one end to said interior wall and at an opposed end to said plunger shaft retention wall such that said spring is movable between compressed and extended configurations upon movement of said plunger shaft between said retracted and actuated configurations.
13. The pill dispenser as in claim 1, wherein said pill holding member includes means on an outer surface thereof for retaining a food substance to induce an animal to receive said pill holding member into its mouth.
14. A pill dispenser for dispensing a pill into the mouth of an animal, comprising:
a dispenser housing including:
a front wall;
a rear wall;
a continuous side wall extending between said front and rear walls;
an interior wall intermediate said front and rear walls;
wherein said front and rear walls define front and rear openings, respectively, and said dispenser housing defines a generally hollow configuration;
a pill holding member removably coupled to said housing front wall, said pill holding member defining a frontward bore configured to receive a pill and being in operative communication with said dispenser housing front opening;
a retaining member situated on an outer surface of said pill holding member adjacent said frontward bore configured to selectively retain a food substance;
an elongate plunger shaft having proximal and distal ends relative to said pill holding member and positioned along an imaginary longitudinal axis extending through said dispenser housing and said pill holding member, said plunger shaft being movable between a retracted configuration in which said distal end extends outwardly from said dispenser housing rear wall and an actuated configuration in which said distal end is substantially adjacent said dispenser housing rear wall; and
a spring positioned in said dispenser housing and operatively connected to said plunger shaft for selectively moving said plunger shaft between said retracted and actuated configurations such that the pill is ejected from said holding member frontward bore;
wherein:
said spring is positioned to surround said plunger shaft and oriented inline therewith;
a retention wall extends about said plunger shaft intermediate a forward end of said spring and said plunger shaft proximal end, wherein said retention wall compresses said spring at said retracted configuration; and
said spring is coupled at one end to said interior wall and at an opposed end to said plunger shaft retention wall such that said spring is movable between compressed and extended configurations upon movement of said plunger shaft between said retracted and actuated configurations.
15. The pill dispenser as in claim 14, wherein said plunger shaft defines a plurality of notches spaced apart along said imaginary longitudinal axis;
said pill dispenser further comprises:
an actuator mounted in said dispenser housing, including:
a base member;
a support member extending upwardly from said base member, said support member defining an aperture configured so that said plunger shaft extends therethrough;
a stop situated adjacent said aperture and configured to be received in a selected plunger shaft notch, whereby to prevent movement of said plunger shaft through said aperture;
an actuator spring positioned in operative contact with a bottom surface of said base member; and
a button mounted atop said support member such that a manual force upon said button causes said base member to compress said actuator spring and move said stop out of a respective notch, thereby enabling said plunger shaft to move through said aperture.
16. The pill dispenser as in claim 15, wherein said pill holding member is coupled to said dispenser housing in a snap-fit relationship.
17. The pill dispenser as in claim 16, wherein said distal end of said plunger shaft includes a handle end perpendicular to said plunger shaft that may be grasped by a user's hand.
18. The pill dispenser as in claim 14, wherein said dispenser housing includes a front portion having a downwardly tapered configuration adjacent said pill holding member.
19. The pill dispenser as in claim 15, wherein said side wall of said plunger housing defines a hole through which said actuator button extends when said plunger shaft is at a selected retracted configuration, said actuator button being biased to extend therethrough by said actuator spring.
US12/836,311 2009-07-14 2010-07-14 Pill dispenser for pets Expired - Fee Related US8062248B2 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US12/836,311 US8062248B2 (en) 2009-07-14 2010-07-14 Pill dispenser for pets

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US27079109P 2009-07-14 2009-07-14
US12/836,311 US8062248B2 (en) 2009-07-14 2010-07-14 Pill dispenser for pets

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20110011884A1 true US20110011884A1 (en) 2011-01-20
US8062248B2 US8062248B2 (en) 2011-11-22

Family

ID=43464573

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US12/836,311 Expired - Fee Related US8062248B2 (en) 2009-07-14 2010-07-14 Pill dispenser for pets

Country Status (1)

Country Link
US (1) US8062248B2 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2018152343A1 (en) * 2017-02-15 2018-08-23 Nypro Inc. Apparatus, system and method for a pill dispenser
US10518959B2 (en) * 2016-07-07 2019-12-31 Philip Morris Products S.A. Dispenser device

Families Citing this family (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9066847B2 (en) 2007-01-05 2015-06-30 Aceirx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Storage and dispensing devices for administration of oral transmucosal dosage forms
US8753308B2 (en) 2006-01-06 2014-06-17 Acelrx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Methods for administering small volume oral transmucosal dosage forms using a dispensing device
US8252329B2 (en) 2007-01-05 2012-08-28 Acelrx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Bioadhesive drug formulations for oral transmucosal delivery
US8865743B2 (en) 2006-01-06 2014-10-21 Acelrx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Small volume oral transmucosal dosage forms containing sufentanil for treatment of pain
US8202535B2 (en) 2006-01-06 2012-06-19 Acelrx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Small-volume oral transmucosal dosage forms
US8357114B2 (en) 2006-01-06 2013-01-22 Acelrx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Drug dispensing device with flexible push rod
US9289583B2 (en) 2006-01-06 2016-03-22 Acelrx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Methods for administering small volume oral transmucosal dosage forms using a dispensing device
WO2010008774A1 (en) * 2008-06-23 2010-01-21 Darin Rapko Apparatus for picking up, holding and dispensing objects
WO2010107761A1 (en) 2009-03-18 2010-09-23 Acelrx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Improved storage and dispensing devices for administration of oral transmucosal dosage forms
AU2013204739B2 (en) * 2012-04-21 2016-10-20 Paul Jason Barrot Apparatus for plugging holes
US9775696B1 (en) 2013-03-25 2017-10-03 Robert Zamora Device to administer a solid animal medicine to an animal
US10219882B1 (en) 2014-12-22 2019-03-05 Edgar C. Cohen, Jr. Animal pill delivery device
NZ732808A (en) 2014-12-23 2021-12-24 Acelrx Pharmaceuticals Inc Systems, devices and methods for dispensing oral transmucosal dosage forms
ES2947769T3 (en) 2015-10-30 2023-08-18 Vertical Pharmaceuticals Llc Apparatus and methods for dispensing oral transmucosal dosage forms
US9731103B1 (en) 2017-01-13 2017-08-15 Berkshire Biomedical, LLC Computerized oral prescription administration devices and associated systems and methods
US10792226B2 (en) 2017-06-07 2020-10-06 Berkshire Biomedical, LLC Refill and dosage management devices and associated systems and methods for use with computerized oral prescription administration devices
US10441509B2 (en) 2018-03-16 2019-10-15 Berkshire Biomedical, LLC Computerized oral prescription administration with refillable medication dispensing devices and associated systems and methods
US10729860B1 (en) 2019-05-22 2020-08-04 Berkshire Biomedical, LLC Computerized oral prescription administration for securely dispensing a medication and associated systems and methods

Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US17000A (en) * 1857-04-07 Veterinary syringe
US842631A (en) * 1906-01-25 1907-01-29 Pasteur Vaccine Company Ltd Apparatus for injecting solid vaccine matter.
US977004A (en) * 1910-06-18 1910-11-29 John J Grimm Device for giving horses pills.
US3494358A (en) * 1967-12-18 1970-02-10 Verne Fehlis Self-triggered veterinary inoculating device
US3757781A (en) * 1971-09-17 1973-09-11 R Smart Tool for administering pills to animals
US4060083A (en) * 1976-04-01 1977-11-29 Hanson Raymond L Pill gun
US4174048A (en) * 1977-10-04 1979-11-13 Volpe John J Jr Tablet retaining and dispensing device
US4474308A (en) * 1982-09-30 1984-10-02 Michel Bergeron Tablet ejector
US5681279A (en) * 1996-11-04 1997-10-28 Roper; David H. Pill dispensing syringe
US6387078B1 (en) * 2000-12-21 2002-05-14 Gillespie, Iii Richard D. Automatic mixing and injecting apparatus
US6960183B2 (en) * 2002-12-02 2005-11-01 Nicolette Jon R Veterinary pill and capsule delivery device

Patent Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US17000A (en) * 1857-04-07 Veterinary syringe
US842631A (en) * 1906-01-25 1907-01-29 Pasteur Vaccine Company Ltd Apparatus for injecting solid vaccine matter.
US977004A (en) * 1910-06-18 1910-11-29 John J Grimm Device for giving horses pills.
US3494358A (en) * 1967-12-18 1970-02-10 Verne Fehlis Self-triggered veterinary inoculating device
US3757781A (en) * 1971-09-17 1973-09-11 R Smart Tool for administering pills to animals
US4060083A (en) * 1976-04-01 1977-11-29 Hanson Raymond L Pill gun
US4174048A (en) * 1977-10-04 1979-11-13 Volpe John J Jr Tablet retaining and dispensing device
US4474308A (en) * 1982-09-30 1984-10-02 Michel Bergeron Tablet ejector
US5681279A (en) * 1996-11-04 1997-10-28 Roper; David H. Pill dispensing syringe
US6387078B1 (en) * 2000-12-21 2002-05-14 Gillespie, Iii Richard D. Automatic mixing and injecting apparatus
US6960183B2 (en) * 2002-12-02 2005-11-01 Nicolette Jon R Veterinary pill and capsule delivery device

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10518959B2 (en) * 2016-07-07 2019-12-31 Philip Morris Products S.A. Dispenser device
WO2018152343A1 (en) * 2017-02-15 2018-08-23 Nypro Inc. Apparatus, system and method for a pill dispenser
CN110312500A (en) * 2017-02-15 2019-10-08 耐普罗公司 Devices, systems, and methods for pill distributor
US10683160B2 (en) 2017-02-15 2020-06-16 Nypro Inc. Apparatus, system and method for a pill dispenser

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US8062248B2 (en) 2011-11-22

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US8062248B2 (en) Pill dispenser for pets
US4474308A (en) Tablet ejector
EP1659856B1 (en) Treat dispensing pet toy
US9510564B2 (en) Treat dispenser
US7703447B2 (en) Animal food dispenser
CU20090153A7 (en) DISPOSABLE INJECTOR DEVICE FOR A LIQUID OR PASTRY PRODUCT
RU2671898C2 (en) Retaining device for dispensing a food body to domestic animals
US8714858B2 (en) Self-foaming shaving brush
US10258445B2 (en) Injection apparatus
US20070095293A1 (en) Treat dispensing device and a method thereof
WO2012096657A1 (en) Pill dispenser for pets
WO2017129993A1 (en) Ball throwing device
US10405956B1 (en) Device to administer a solid animal medicine to an animal
US5306251A (en) Device for injecting a fluid or inserting an object beneath the skin of an animal
AU2014305235B2 (en) Dosing apparatus
US20060151644A1 (en) Dosing device for beneficial agents
US20080060583A1 (en) Treat Trainer
US20060049214A1 (en) Dispensing apparatus
KR101651831B1 (en) Pet tongue cleaner
US10219882B1 (en) Animal pill delivery device
US9089679B2 (en) Device for introducing substances inside animals
US20040093784A1 (en) Fishhook baiting apparatus
US10752428B2 (en) Modified spray head
US10786342B2 (en) Dosing apparatus
KR200379554Y1 (en) A pet feedbox

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
STCF Information on status: patent grant

Free format text: PATENTED CASE

FPAY Fee payment

Year of fee payment: 4

FEPP Fee payment procedure

Free format text: MAINTENANCE FEE REMINDER MAILED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: REM.); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY

LAPS Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees

Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED FOR FAILURE TO PAY MAINTENANCE FEES (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: EXP.); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY

STCH Information on status: patent discontinuation

Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362

FP Lapsed due to failure to pay maintenance fee

Effective date: 20191122